Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Rob Loxley — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:56:08 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]Not sure if the hypokalaemia is due to the frusemide[/quote]

Could try reducing the frusemide and add in moduretic as another strategy?

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Kate Richardson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:41:05 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Robin Grimmer"]

Hypokalaemia is much more of a risk in cats on frusemide particularly if they are not eating.

[/quote] Is this because a lot of cats on diurectics are likely to be old and borderline hypokalaemic anyway +/- have concurrent CKD also. So many of these will be on K supplements already. Again I've not found hypokalaemia to be a common side effect of cats on frusemide albeit most cats that are on diurectics are in end-stage disease for whatever disease is causing ascites or pleural effusion and have multiple reasons to be hypokalaemic. and are not going to live too long anyway to find out!!

[/quote]

I agree Martin, but cats are generally much more prone to hypokalaemia full stop in my experience and it seems to affect them much more significantly than dogs as well which I find interesting. Generally as long as the cat is still eating well, then hypokalaemia seems less of a problem. The dog case I currently have on potassium supplements is a weird case but essentially has ascites (as a result of a previous suspected vasculitis)and is on frusemide and spironolactone to slow down the development of the fluid plus regular draining (3-4 years now!) and is hypokalaemic without supplementation. Not sure if the hypokalaemia is due to the frusemide or due to the constant loss of fluid though as dog also has low albumin/globulin also (but stable).

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:30:55 GMT

[quote user="Robin Grimmer"]

Hypokalaemia is much more of a risk in cats on frusemide particularly if they are not eating.

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Robin Grimmer — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:29:14 GMT

Hypokalaemia is much more of a risk in cats on frusemide particularly if they are not eating.

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:29:51 GMT

[quote user="John Flynn"]I think what you're saying is that inhibition of the RAAS (i.e. the use of an ACEi, which arguably maybe all dogs on furosemide would benefit from...) can lead to increased potassium levels?[/quote] Indeed - it is amazing how much difference the inclusion or exclusion of one little word can make!

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Kate Richardson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:59:25 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]

Has anyone dispensed Kaminox in dogs for hypokalaemia.

Dogs on long term frusemide go hypokalaemic, that presents as muscle weakness etc that makes the heart disease seem worse than it is.

I'd be interested if anyone has tried this and had any success with it.

Neil

[/quote]

I haven't used Kaminox but have used Tumil K tablets and powder successfully.

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

John Flynn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:29:30 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]The reason being AFAIA is that the RAAS system is potentially going to cause a hyperkalaemia so as frusemide alone does not reverse this its action of causing hypokalaema as it does in humans is countered - someone shoot me if I'm wrong, my new graduate isn't here to correct me. [/quote]

I think what you're saying is that inhibition of the RAAS (i.e. the use of an ACEi, which arguably maybe all dogs on furosemide would benefit from...) can lead to increased potassium levels?

Re: Kaminox in dogs for dogs of frusemide

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:17:04 GMT

Hypokalaemia in dogs on even high doses of frusemide is a theroretical risk that is rare, certainly in my experience. The reason being AFAIA is that the RAAS system is potentially going to cause a hyperkalaemia so as frusemide alone does not reverse this its action of causing hypokalaema as it does in humans is countered - someone shoot me if I'm wrong, my new graduate isn't here to correct me. Adding a potassium sparing diuretic like spironolactone is more traditional way of dealing with this if it does occur. Regardless I'd be looking at an alternative reason for the hypokalaemia